Skip to main content

Evolution of Electronic Digital Computers in a nutshell


Although the development of computers in its present form started around 1940s, the art of efficient computing goes back to the ninth century and we must know that the word computers was used to mean persons with expertise in computing. The word ultimately encompassed machines also. The efficiency of computing depends in many cases on the algorithm or the logical sequence followed.
 The word ‘Algorithm’ comes from the name of the ninth century Persian mathematician Mohammad ibn Musa Al-Khawarizmi. Abacus helped to solve simple arithmetic in the old days.
In 17th century, the French mathematician Blaise Pascal built a mechanical device to perform addition automatically. The operation was embedded in the configuration of gears within the machine. The German mathematician Gottfried Leibnitz, the co-inventor of calculus along with Newton, argued for a universal language to calculate any problem.
In early 19th century, the French engineer Joseph Jacquard designed and constructed a machine that automated the process of weaving in looms. The British mathematician Charles Babbage designed a model with remarkable resemblance to modern day computers. In late 19th century, Herman Hollerith, a US statistician designed a machine which could automate data processing for US census.

Atanasoff-Berry Computer
In 19th century, the British school teacher, George Boole developed the system of logic based on TRUE and FALSE states. Half a century later, the British mathematician Alan Turing explored the limits of algorithms and computation. His most important contribution was to develop the concept of a universal machine.
In late 1930s, Claude Shannon, a mathematician at MIT showed that operations and information can be reduced to Boolean logic and then to hardware. It paved the way for the age of Electronic Digital Computers.

Regards,
Prof. Prabir Banerjee
Faculty,
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering,
Heritage Institute of Technology,
Kolkata.

Image source: https://cs.nyu.edu/courses/fall16/CSCI-UA.0004-004/bootstrap_computer_history_new/images/carousel/atanasoff.jpg

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BLACK HOLE & SPACE-TIME RELATION

BLACK HOLE & SPACE-TIME RELATION                                 W e are all pretty familiar with the term  'Black   Hole' . Well, what does it really mean? Firstly, the 'Black Hole' is not black at all. It is a kind of void from which light cannot escape. According to the general theory of relativity, proposed by Sir Albert Einstein, the black hole is that region of space and time, where the gravitational attraction is so strong that nothing can escape from or through it. A huge, enormous amount of mass is concentrated over a very small volume. And, consequently, the density of the black hole becomes incredibly strong. ⮚       Formation of the 'Black Hole':  Well, so far as the creation of the black hole is concerned, it is speculated that if the centre of an enormously distributed star collapsed and, as a result, the 'SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION' occurred. The...
Post a Comment
Read more

NEUROIMAGING IN IDENTIFYING DISORDERS

NEUROIMAGING IN IDENTIFYING DISORDERS Neuroimaging deals with the in vivo applications of various techniques to illustrate and study the structural & functional characteristics of the nervous system. Neuroimaging can be classified into two categories: • Structural neuroimaging, which involves the imaging of the structure of the nervous system and the diagnosis of intracranial injuries and tumours. • Functional imaging, which involves the study and diagnosis of metabolic diseases and cognitive research. The most widely used techniques involved in the process of neuroimaging are: 1. Computed Tomography (CT) or Computed Axial Tomography (CAT), in which X-ray images of the brain from various directions are taken and presented as cross-sections of the brain. 2. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which uses magnetic fields and radio waves to obtain high-resolution 2D or 3D images of the brain. 3. Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which measures emissions from radioac...
3 comments
Read more

EMOTION SENSING TECHNOLOGY

Emotion is a mental state associated with the nervous system brought on by chemical changes variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioural responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. Reading and understanding emotions can lead to wide-ranging opportunities. Emotion sensing technologies are being widely used in many applications to effectively understand the users' mood and use that information to do something productive. EMOTION SENSING TECHNOLOGIES can be used in various fields such as personal robots, driverless cars, educational software, consumer electronic devices, video games etc and is on the verge of becoming the next big thing. THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED: SKIN CONDUCTANCE SENSORS: Skin conductance (SC) is an index of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation and emotional arousal. To measure skin conductance, a small electrical potential is applied between two electrodes strapped or taped to the palmer side of the hand, and the amount of ...
2 comments
Read more